Klondike Bill
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name = Klondike Bill
|image = Klondike Bill.jpg
|image_size =
|birth_name = William Soloweyko{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Oliver |date=April 15, 1999 |title=SLAM! Wrestling Canadian Hall of Fame: Klondike Bill |url=http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBios/klondikebill.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115103813/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBios/klondikebill.html |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=June 20, 2023 |website=Slam! Sports |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}}
|names = Bill Soloweyko
Klondike Bill{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/176 176]|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0}}
Kodiak Bear
|birth_date = {{birth date|1931|12|01|mf=y}}{{Cite news |date=October 4, 2000 |title=William Soloweyko obituary |page=25 |work=The Charlotte Observer |location=Charlotte, North Carolina |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-klondike-obit-1/61637629/ |access-date=June 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621072935/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-klondike-obit-1/61637629/ |archive-date=June 21, 2023}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|2000|10|03|1931|12|01}}
|birth_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada
|death_place = Pineville, North Carolina, U.S.
|billed = Kodiak Island, Alaska
|trainer = Stu Hart
|debut =
}}
William Soloweyko (December 1, 1931 – October 3, 2000), better known by his ring name Klondike Bill, was a Canadian professional wrestler. He wrestled in various National Wrestling Alliance territories throughout the 1960s and 1970s, before moving onto World Championship Wrestling.
Professional wrestling career
Soloweyko was an accomplished amateur wrestler.{{Cite book |last=Lentz III |first=Harris M. |url=https://archive.org/details/biographicaldict0000lent/page/191/mode/2up |title=Biographical Dictionary of Professional Wrestling |publisher=McFarland |year=2003 |isbn=9780786417544 |edition=2nd |page=191 |language=en}} After training with Stu Hart in the famous Hart Dungeon in Calgary, Alberta, he began his career wrestling as Bill "The Brute" Soloweyko. He was noted for his barrel-chested physique, beard, and bearhug finishing move.{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Oliver |date=October 3, 2000 |title=Klondike Bill passes away |url=http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosK/klondike_obit-can.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115083951/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosK/klondike_obit-can.html |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website=Slam! Sports |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}} On January 18, 1962, Bill and Whipper Billy Watson defeated Chris and John Tolos to win the NWA International Tag Team Championship, until they dropped the titles back to them in March.{{Cite web |title=International Tag Team Title (Ontario) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/on/nwa/on-int-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406091920/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/on/nwa/on-int-t.html |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}} From 1963 to 1964, as Klondike Bill, he performed for the WWWF, often defeating enhancement talent, but served on the losing end against bigger stars like WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino, Bobo Brazil, and Ernie Ladd.{{Cite web |title=Ring Results: 1963 |date=16 January 2023 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwwf-results-1963/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321003951/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwwf-results-1963/ |archive-date=March 21, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |publisher=The History of WWE}}{{Cite web |title=Ring Results: 1964 |date=16 January 2023 |url=https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwwf-results-1964/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313213153/https://thehistoryofwwe.com/wwwf-results-1964/ |archive-date=March 13, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |publisher=The History of WWE}}
Bill unsuccessfully challenged for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship on multiple occasions in 1966.{{Cite web |title=NWA World Heavyweight Championship Matches: 1966 |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world/nwa-h-matches/1960s/nwa-h-matches1966.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226150851/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/nwa/world/nwa-h-matches/1960s/nwa-h-matches1966.html |archive-date=February 26, 2022 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |publisher=Wrestling Titles}} However, he enjoyed championship success in 1968, winning the NWA North American Tag Team Championship with Ron Etchison in January, the All Asia Tag Team Championship with Skull Murphy in July, and the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship in August. On March 21, 1971, he won the NWA National Television Championship from Luke Graham, holding the title until October 9, when he was defeated by Big Bad John.{{Cite web |title=NWA Georgia Television Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-tv.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107140508/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/ga/ga-tv.html |archive-date=November 7, 2017 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}} Bill would also compete for NWA Tri-State, holding the United States Tag Team Championship with Luke Brown in early 1974. He would then wrestle only sporadically after this.
He was hired by Jim Crockett during the 1970s to build guard rails and rings for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and was also a road agent for World Championship Wrestling. In addition, he worked for Crockett's minor league baseball team, the Charlotte O's, as a groundkeeper.{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Greg |author-link=Greg Oliver |date=July 14, 2000 |title=Rallying around an ailing Klondike Bill |url=http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosK/klondike_14jul00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115180815/http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestlingBiosK/klondike_14jul00.html |archive-date=January 15, 2013 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website=Slam! Sports |url-status=usurped |publisher=Canadian Online Explorer}} During the late 1990s, Bill was involved in a storyline that saw Eric Bischoff demoted as president and forced to set up a ring under Bill's supervision.
He was also known for being the only person to consume two 72-ounce steaks at the Big Texan Steak Ranch in the one-hour time limit back in the 1960s.{{cite web |title=Big Texan Free 72oz Steak Facts |url=http://www.bigtexan.com/free72facts.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005091113/http://bigtexan.com/free72facts.html |archive-date=October 5, 2010 |access-date=August 5, 2010}} Bill and fellow wrestler Johnny Heidemann were once kicked out of a buffet after they ate 56 pieces of chicken.
Death
Soloweyko died on October 3, 2000, at the age of 68, in Pineville, North Carolina. He had been suffering from a neuromuscular disorder that took away the use of his tongue and left him speechless.
Championships and accomplishments
- 50th State Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (1 time){{Cite web |title=Hawaii Heavyweight Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/hi/hi-h.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307063443/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/hi/hi-h.html |archive-date=March 7, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- NWA National Television Championship (1 time)
- Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance
- All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Skull Murphy{{Cite web |title=All Asia Tag Team Title |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/asia-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221006182907/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/asia-t.html |archive-date=October 6, 2022 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
- NWA Central States
- NWA North American Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Ron Etchison{{Cite web |title=NWA North American Tag Team Title (Central States) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-na-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517053452/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-na-t.html |archive-date=May 17, 2023 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
- NWA Toronto
- NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Whipper Billy Watson
- NWA Tri-State
- United States Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Luke Brown{{Cite web |title=NWA United States Tag Team Title (Oklahoma & Louisiana & Arkansas & Mississippi) |url=https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midsouth/nwa/tri-us-t.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510020515/https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midsouth/nwa/tri-us-t.html |archive-date=May 10, 2022 |access-date=June 21, 2023 |website= |publisher=Wrestling Titles}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Professional wrestling profiles|cagematch=3199|wrestlingdata=5627|iwd=klondike-bill-2221}}
{{All Asia Tag Team Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bill, Klondike}}
Category:Canadian male professional wrestlers
Category:Professional wrestlers from Calgary
Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni
Category:Neurological disease deaths in North Carolina
Category:Deaths from neuromuscular disease
Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers
Category:All Asia Tag Team Champions
Category:NWA International Tag Team Champions (Toronto version)